The Way
by Nanaki BH
Summary: [Reno Rufus] You know how crappy business parties can be. Amongst the misery, Rufus finds interest in a particular Turk.


Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or any of its related material. It's all a part of Squenix and I, unfortunately, am not a part of them. Dammit. "The Way" is a Clay Aiken song and I don't own Clay.

The Way

By: Nanaki BH

I could see that they were all miserable. It was etched into their every feature. It was disgusting. I knew it and they knew it too. I could tell that they all found it to be just as disgusting as I did. No one wanted to be here just like any other time. They would spend the night hoping to God that it would go at least a little bit faster so they didn't have to go through all the frustration. I've watched every single one of them; their kids too. They would scour the room searching for someone more interesting to talk to.

My father's friend and his coworkers were so proud of themselves. They had just expanded the fishing industry passed Junon. The people who were happy for them were few and far between. My father was one of them. No one likes a braggart and that's what they were. All the Shinra Corporation (except for my father, of course) was annoyed by them and just about ready to whip out their guns. I knew they had them. I'd watched a couple men fingering something in their breast pockets where they hid their weapon underneath. They've opted to stick to themselves and discuss how damn horrible the party was.

As for myself, yeah, I was equally frustrated. My father, the old man, tried to get me to mingle with his friends' kids. Some of them were younger than me; maybe three or four of them. A couple were older that me, but definitely not wiser. Because they all knew each other (other parties I had not been to?) they told jokes and reminisced on old occasions I had never experienced. None of it bore any importance to me. They were all arrogant immature bastards. The older ones repeatedly called me "kid". I'm Vice President Rufus Shinra, dammit. No one calls me kid; especially if they're only one month older than me. I had to resist punching one of them after he asked me why I didn't have a girlfriend with me like he did.

Why is it not obvious to everyone that I'm fabulously queer? And so leads to another piece of my angst. I'd dare not speak of that in front of anyone, let alone my father. He's been hounding me for close to a year, telling me I should get a _wife_. In his case he had a wife_ and_ a mistress. To be honest, I look like neither so I have to wonder where I got my good looks from. I'm probably the son of some hooker he got with. Why is he even telling me I should get a wife now? I'm only seventeen. Fuck the Shinra Corporation.

Pretending that I had to be somewhere then, I snuck away from the group. It was about then when I finally noticed the dark figures standing at the corners of the dinner hall. I was standing between two fat rich women and a group of waiters when I saw them. The women were quick to get unnerved by my presence and leave. The waiters though, tried to give me everything they had with them. In that time another guy came to stand near the one I had seen in the far left corner near the balcony. He was rather tall and he had the most peculiar red hair. Although he was tall, he paled in comparison to his friend; he was a giant… and rather bald. I couldn't get over those glasses he wore though. Why would he need sunglasses in here? The red haired guy wore a pair of motor goggles on his forehead too. That's sexy, actually. Did he have a bike?

I couldn't resist a short chuckle. I'm ridiculous.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I strode toward the wide hall on their side of the room. They paid me no mind and I had to wonder if they knew who I was. I certainly recognized them to be Turk members. They're the lowest of the low in Shinra; not in social standing though. They were the people you would consider "first in the cafeteria line". They were my father's lap dogs; the people you don't want to mess with. They were hitmen and so much more. Some of Shinra held them revered. The people of the slums though - they hate them. They kidnapped and arrested people from the slums and that was enough to get the Turks on their bad side. Crime was the norm in the slums, a way of life. They just prove to disturb their order. Honestly though, that's not my problem. They _look_ like hitmen. What, with the black suits and all.

What should I think of them? They sound like any of the other psychos my dad hires.

Soon I came to my last left turn down the wide (elaborately decorated) halls and entered the lobby. It was sparsely decorated compared to every other part of the party hall. There were a couple potted pants and flower arrangements but nothing like the gorgeous displays in the dining room.

The carpet had a design that would have made me dizzy if I kept staring at it. The ceiling was equally absurd. This room had one thing better than all the others: silence. The most I heard was my own foot falls and the woman behind the main desk turning the pages of her magazine.

The room itself wasn't very bright. The decorations were dark and there a few small lamps to light the room. They had wide doors and a sun roof in the very middle of the room. I guessed that was to be their direct source of lighting. It was dark out right now. I presumed it to be late in the evening.

I found a couch near the doors and sat down, resting my elbow on the arm. I buried my fingers in my hair and held my forehead against my palm. I was warm, I noticed. Never in Midgar had I experienced natural elements. Rain, snow, heat, cold… it was all unfamiliar to me. Still, it was doubtable for me to be ill. Maybe it was just the weather. Supposedly, it was winter here in Junon not too long ago. The warm air was rolling in but the ocean still kept the city cool.

I wondered if anyone's noticed my absence yet.

I sighed audibly. I heard the lady at the front desk move. She wasn't just flipping pages, and momentarily, I believed she had noticed something other than me but I didn't bother to look up. I was lost in my own reverie, imagining the feel of the air out side. If no one noticed I had left, why should they care if I go out side? Actually, I can think of some reasons. Even if I was fine, my father would reprimand me and try to convince me of how many "dangers" there were. You know why I haven't moved from the sofa yet? It's because I believed that all my life. Those people out there; they're probably great. They just don't like the Shinra for all that they've done to them. That's the danger. And yet, I wish to gather the courage to walk out side and relive the world even if it means I am risking my life.

I could feel my stomach turning. It's like that every time I'm stressed. I clenched my eyes tightly and tried to will it away. Softly, I heard a sound close to me, nothing like the lady or her magazine; the shuffling of shoes? I glanced to my side… feet… legs… you can guess the rest from waist up probably.

In front of me stood the handsome Turk I had seen earlier; the one with the red hair. He's untraditionally handsome. He's got some quirks about him that make him interesting to look at. Right now he was grinning like a crazy bastard. "Mind if I sit here?" he asked me, gesturing to the empty spot on the sofa next to me. I was definitely attracted to him, but how could I say yes to him? I knew he was a Turk. Was he here for a reason?

I decided to defy my logic. "Not at all," I said trying my best to sound uninterested in him. I noticed that my stomach didn't hurt anymore. He must have startled it away. When he sat down on the other end I felt the cushions move under his weight. He stretched out his legs in front of himself and crossed them at his ankles. Stay official, I told myself. "What do you want?" I asked him.

I could see him still grinning out of the corner of my eye. He had an air of arrogance but it was a kind I wasn't used to. He wasn't someone who was _proud_ of himself; he was _sure_ of him. I can't remember ever having a confidence like that. I know I can't call him the most… civilized person. I don't know how my father can deal with them. They don't seem anything like the rest of the company. When he sat up he kept his ankles still linked. "I can't say I've got any real _reason_," he explained, "I just saw you across the room back there and thought you looked a bit uncomfortable." How odd that was, I thought, for someone to be concerned for me.

He folded his arms behind his head. "Where are you from? You don't look like what I'm used to."

I scoffed. "What's that to mean, 'not what you're used to'?" I had to admit, I was slightly offended. What, did he think I was some kind of whore or something? That's certainly how he made it sound to me.

Chuckling, he turned to contemplate me with a critical eye. It seemed as though he noticed something about me he hadn't seen before. Did he really not know who I was? That was possible, after hearing that condescending attitude of his toward me. I'm his authority even if I _was_ only the vice. Eventually he came to say, "Geez, cool it. I guess you're not my type after all. I don't go for the kind with a stick already up their ass. I would have preferred to put it there myself." I was stunned. He said it all with a smile.

With that he pushed himself away from the sofa and began to walk away. My eyes widened. He really _didn't_ know who I was! I clicked my fingers to him to get him back.

"I don't appreciate being hailed like a taxi, kid," he growled, not bothering to turn around. When I lost sight of him out the front door I took chase. Unfortunately, I stopped just short of the door. Should I really go out? No one will care. I can make up some bullshit about him so I don't get in trouble. Then, not even contemplating what that "bullshit" would be I flung open the doors.

It wasn't too hard to find him. The main streets of Junon didn't go very far. He was smoking, his back to me. He whipped his head to one side to get his ponytail off his shoulder. He wasn't stopping for me. Maybe he was looking for a bar; he seemed to be the type. I ran to him and I had to resist putting my hand on his shoulder to turn him around. I feared getting shot. He stopped. "What do you want?" he asked. Wait… hadn't _I_ just asked him that not too long ago?

I was gasping. It wasn't too often that I ran. In between gasps I managed to blurt out, "I'm Rufus, I don't know you." His gaze was still directed down at me. Please, he must know by now, I thought.

"Not who I'm thinking of, right?" he asked.

I raised a curious eyebrow. "And who would it be that you're thinking of?" I asked. Honestly, how many people does he know named Rufus?

His expression was priceless. "Shit," he muttered. He dropped his cigarette and crushed it beneath his shoe. "Forget about me, alright? I don't want your dad mad at me." He laughed. "You're supposed to be 'finding a wife' remember?"

I gave him an incredulous stare. "How do you know that?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Rude and I talk a lot." I guessed that to be his bald friend he had spoken to earlier. "Tseng was talking to him about you and that got back to me." Tseng; I knew him. Tseng was the one with the long black hair. He had an easy face to remember.

"Listen," I said, "I'm gay. Whatever you heard is completely untrue. Do you just… want to start over again?" My words seemed to surprise him. As I had said before, was it not painfully obvious?

"I would have never guessed," he said. Maybe it wasn't obvious… "I've only known you for so long though. Maybe it was because of all I've heard of you. If I had known who you were I might not have even tried coming onto you."

That comment was enough to anger me. What did he hear about me? Anything someone around Shinra would hear of me had to be a rumor. "What have you heard?" I asked. It was a reasonable question; I had my right to know.

He smirked. He sidled up to me and gave me a light pat on my ass. I wasn't one to admit to these things… but I believe he made me blush. "Well," he whispered in my ear, "I've heard that you're a rotten cold bastard who would love nothing more than for his father to die so he could rule all of Shinra himself." The chill from his voice was enough to make me forgive him for the stinging remark.

"Who could have told you that?" I wondered aloud. "I don't want any of that!" I paused to contemplate that, biting my lower lip. "If my father were to die it would be a tragedy, but that's not to say I would mind..."

I felt him kiss my cheek. I'm not kidding. I think he just kissed me. "Don't get so wound up," he whispered sweetly, rubbing my back. "So if you don't want that, what _do_ you want?" I tried to speak but my voice failed me. He leaned in closer to me and gave me another definite kiss to the side of my face. "The shore," he proposed. I simply nodded.

He took my hand and began to lead me. I squeezed his hand back. "I noticed that my forehead was warm before. Do you know why that is?"

He shook his head. "Do you feel ill?"

"No," I said.

"Then it must be the weather. Have you ever left Shinra HQ?" he asked.

"No," I said, "only for a few business trips. They were all very short."

Soon I noticed that the sky had darkened considerably. I could see the sun setting behind a building we passed on our way to the harbor. It cast a glow of yellow and orange over the city. The air had become even cooler now. It was not unpleasant though. It wasn't like the regulated temperature I was used to. It was unpredictable. It moved and had a scent and caressed my face with each step I took.

"You must not be used to… anything out side then. That's so hard to believe." He faced me just before we hit the shore. "You look like you enjoy it though." I drew in a deep shaky breath… and smiled. I don't know when I last smiled. I had no true enjoyment in my life and in little more than the blink of an eye, I was happy. His hand slid from mine to rub my arm. He instructed me to remove my shoes. That was probably a good idea. I didn't want to ruin my four hundred dollar shoes. They were placed close out side the beach so I didn't lose them.

He had his off much faster than me. He was already walking bare foot in the sand; burying his feet and pushing around the sand. "What's your name?" I asked him. I could feel the sand sinking in between my toes.

"I'm Reno," he said. "As you know, I belong to the Turks. And, I believe I had asked you a question before." Reno's a really sexy name… Wait, what was he talking about? My eyebrows have been creasing so much lately. I hope I'm not getting any wrinkles. "I wanted to know what you want if you don't want Shinra Inc. What would you rather be doing with yourself?"

I had to consider that. I had time to myself a lot. What _did_ I do with my time? I would sit and play piano sometimes although I'm not very good at it. It was something "sophisticated", so I guess I absolutely had to learn how to play regardless of how good I was. Out side was a mystery to me and I guess I had thought about it once or twice. Life would be great without my father, that's for sure. For some reason, I had a feeling stepping out side of those doors was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

"I guess I'd want to live in an actual house for once. I've never done that," I said. It was like I had suddenly spoken without even considering my words. Never have I done that, especially with all those proper etiquette classes. "I want to wake up someday and finally get to see the sun shining out my window. I don't want my dog to be confined to the same four walls anymore." I breathed deeply. "I want… someone to show me what life is really like."

Reno stepped into the shallow water, his form silhouetted by the setting sun. He held his hands behind his back, staring off into the ocean. Well, I couldn't be sure that he even had his eyes open. My position was a problem for him, I could tell. "I could be ruining my life if I decided to be that someone for you, Rufus, but I feel like I'd be hurting myself even more if I weren't." The wind blew his hair; I felt a chill around myself. "You're father would kill me if he found out about it," he said.

"I know," I said, looking away.

"Do you want me to act as your bodyguard? It'd be less suspicious, you know." Was that to say he'd be willing to risk his life and his job for me? No, that's not what Turks are about. They would save their own ass before anything else. They weren't fools and anybody would know that. Still, I couldn't keep my heart from swelling with emotion at his simple offer.

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. "If you really think it's a good idea."

He was still and I began to wonder if he was reconsidering what he had just said. Eventually, he nodded and turned around. The smile on his face was brighter than the setting sun. "I guess you've just made a new friend, sir," he said, "and if you want… maybe something more." He gave me a sly wink.

How is it that my opinion of the Turks just changed; my opinion on Reno, at least? How could this guy even be considered dangerous? "Are you sure you're a Turk?" I asked.

He laughed and came to me to pat my shoulder. "Yeah, but Tseng doesn't appreciate how loose I am. He thinks I'm corrupting Rude." I couldn't refuse the urge this time. I closed my eyes and mustered all the strength I had in me. I rushed forward, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. Surprisingly, he didn't seem stunned or anything. His left palm was resting on my waist and his right was gently placed between my shoulder blades. It was a simple kiss but it was enough to make my heart flutter. My face felt warm and I hoped it wasn't from "the weather" again.

"It's going to rain," Reno said. Okay, it _was_ the weather. I'm a regular barometer, aren't I? "It's gotten colder and the clouds are closing in," he said. "Where do you want to go? My feet are wet… I wasn't wearing socks to begin with so my shoes will be mighty uncomfortable. Maybe you should go back without me. That way you won't get in trouble."

I frowned. I was expecting something spectacular; not rain. But… "You know, I've never been in the rain."

"Do it some other time. If you can somehow magically get yourself dry, I'd say go for it, but you'll get our asses smoked if you go back in there wet. We're probably in trouble already." He had some great logic for someone that looked like such a street punk.

I punched his arm lightly. "Fine. Be that way." He laughed. "I'll be expecting to see you later." He gave me a small salute and began to walk toward the dry land to get his shoes.

I was forgetting something. "Reno!" I shouted. "Why don't you just go back to the party with me?"

"Too much suspicion," he said. "If they were to catch on to anything, they'd remember us together at the party." He's good, but wasn't that a bit much? "Don't let your father catch on to anything, Rufus. I'm certainly not letting suspicion start here. I'm going for a drink."

It was very obvious that he could get a drink just as well inside the party center, but he was right. It was a good cover. Yet… suspicion? Is that all our relationship would come to be comprised of; hiding from suspicious eyes? Yes, as long as my father was alive.

I watched him leave and I didn't stop him that time. I felt a drop of rain hit my cheek and I thought bitterly that the first drop of rain I felt was so much like a tear. I brushed it away with a smile on my face.

Author's note: This story is ten times more dramatic if you listen to "The Way" while reading it. I did that while proofing it, at least. It's not my best of the past fics I've made for them. Still, I've been dying to write them more. Just wait until this summer. You're probably going to get something good from me. I'm expecting some inspiration then. I hope you guys don't mind how short (and to the point) it was. It's just an alternative to how they met so I guess it works. Hope you liked it. Reviews are what keep me writing, by the way; do it!


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